Biography

Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez was born to José Gutiérrez García and Emilia Benítez on February 5, 1945 in San Agustín Metzquititlán, Hidalgo. He had long been inspired to become a masked luchador after watching two 1963 Mexican films, "El Señor Tormenta" (Mister Storm) and "Tormenta En El Ring" (Storm In The Ring) both of which featured the story of a poor Mexican priest who supported the children of his orphanage by fighting as a lucha libre wrestler at night.
At age 22, Gutiérrez, at the time a drug addict and alcoholic, became interested in the priesthood and was inducted into the Piarists Order.

His theological training took him to Rome, and then Spain, and for a while he taught philosophy and history at Roman Catholic universities in Mexico. He later became a secular priest in the Diocese of Texcoco, where he founded an orphanage named "La Casa Hogar de los Cachorros de Fray Tormenta"- In need of money to take care of the children, the father became the masked wrestler known as Fray Tormenta. During that time he never let anyone know of his identity as a priest.

He wouldn’t have been taken seriously as a wrestler if the fans knew he was a priest from the onset, but once his identity was revealed he became all the more popular. He moved up the totem pole of the Mexican wrestling scene, even making appearances in the United States, Canada and Japan.
Wrestling gave Benítez the chance to give the kids he looked after a chance at a better future.

Like most poor boys who dream of becoming wrestling champions, Fray Tormenta thought he would earn millions if he became a prizefighter. He endured dislocated arms, a broken nose, three cracked ribs and several mangled fingers, but never made a fortune, in spite of a career that took him to Japan 30 times and to the US 70 times.

Fray Tormenta has appeared in CMLL in recent years, acting as a padrino to debuting devout wrestlers Sagrado and Mistico. Due to Mistico's success, Tormenta is more often associated with him, and has appeared with him on CMLL's TV show. Fray Tormenta plays a big role in Sagrado's purported background; when Sagrado was unable to decide between wrestling and the priesthood, it was Tormenta who pointed him towards CMLL.

The videogame characters King from Tekken, Crasher Wake from Pokémon, Tizoc from Fatal Fury, Leon from F-Zero, and Greco from Chrono Cross were inspired by his story, as was the movie Nacho Libre.

The 2006 US Movie, Nacho Libre, is loosely based on Tormenta's life. Both Fray and the main character of the movie are priests who also become luchadores, but the similarities appear to end there - the movie just uses the concept as a jumping off point to tell its own story. There have been other movies on Fray Tormenta's life, including one from a film company in France.

Although semi-retired from wrestling since 2001, he still wrestled occasionally and still working in the orphanage, Fray Tormenta fought so hard every day to make money for the kids, and his legacy lives on in one of the orphans he cared for.

On January 11, 2011 Tormenta won another Lucha de Apuesta, by defeating Bugambilia, Super Crazy, X-Fly, Bestia 666 and Boy Danger, to win Bugambilia's hair.

On July 3, 2011, Tormenta teamed with El Pantera and Solar to defeat Black Terry, Negro Navarro and Scorpio Jr. at IWRG "Festival de las Mascaras" After the match Gutiérrez announced that he had wrestled his final match.

On June 20, 2012, Tormenta made an appearance for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), officially giving his blessing to the second incarnation of Místico.

Fray will return to the ring again on September 28th for a "priest" tag team match (DF vs Cd Juarez) in Seminario Conciliar, Ciudad Juarez, Fray teamed with El Niño Tormenta to defeat Angel Negro and Fariseo. Ultimo Guerrero attacked Fray Tormenta in the ring, Atlantis coming in to rescue.

In the main event between Atlantis defeat Ultimo Guerrero, Angel Negro coming in the ring to attacked Atlantis, but Fray Tormenta enter in the ring to help Atlantis and beat up Angel Negro

Wrestling Career Highlits

Never lost the mask in luchas de apuestas, Tormenta defended his mask approximately 10 and 15 times

He never won a Title in CMLL, AAA, UWA, or any other major title but in 40-year career (1974-2014) just won only one local title and also won several masks, hairs, trophies, medals and awards

Fray Tormenta was a legend of lucha libre who's legendary status and wrestling career was recognized internationally

Fray wrestled in the most important wrestling places in Mexico like the Arena Mexico(AKA The Cathedral of wrestling in Mexico), Arena Coliseo (AKA El Embudo Coliseino) and el Toreo de cuatro caminos (AKA The Cave of The Independent wrestlers)

El Sagrado and Mistico (Sin Cara) was introduced by Fray Tormenta in CMLL, more later On June 20, 2012 Fray introduce a Dragon Lee as the new Mistico (AKA Mistico "la nueva era")

The last match of Fray Tormenta was in ciudad Juárez on September 28, 2014. Fray's retires after this match.

Fray Tormenta Quotes

"I became Fray Tormenta out of necessity. I had to support my kids. I thought that a wrestler made as much money as guys like Cassisus Clay/Muhammad Ali. So I decided I would become a luchador and in one year, I'd make a million dollars and I'd build the 'City of Children'... but it was not like that. My first match paid me about $200 pesos or $20. I said to myself, Jesus Christ... after so much training... twenty bucks! But I was hooked and thanks to lucha libre, I accomplished many great things."

"I became a professional wrestler because I had a cause. If it weren't for my children, there would have been no reason to fight."

"I designed my own mask and outfit. My mask colours are yellow and red. The yellow represents gold for Divinity and the red represents the blood that Fray Tormenta is willing to shed for his kids."

"I read the papers and I thought wrestlers earned as much as Cassius Clay. I thought, I'll do it for a year, build a city for children and then bye-bye."

"I wasn't after glory, I was after money for the kids. Although when people make you a star you can't help but be affected. Even a priest likes to be adored."

"Thanks to God and to lucha libre my orphanage has produced three doctors, two accountants, 20 computer technicians, seven lawyers, one priest and 16 teachers," boasts the wrestler priest. "The kids call me 'The Boss'."

"I thought to myself, 'If there were only some cool and laid-back priests out there who understood us, then many of us would change.'"

"The day I hit rock bottom, I went to see a priest for help. He chased me out of the church. I was so angry, so incensed, I thought there ought to be better priests in this world to help people like me."

"No one would have taken me seriously as a wrestler had they known I was a priest. The fans, the promotors, thought my name of war was a joke, like all the other characters we impersonate in the ring. No one believed there was a real priest concealed behind the mask of Fray Tormenta."

"The most I was ever paid was 5,000 dollars for a bout in Japan,but I am no longer disappointed, my boys are fed and clothed."